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Santa's Pals: Kiwanis Club gives gifts to 134 familiesBY LARRY CAUSEY | TELEGRAM STAFF Dec 16, 2017

With a thirty-dollar budget per family, volunteer shoppers, Panel Specialists Inc. further contributed by donating threebicycles for a young Temple family to receive on Saturday through the Kiwanis Club Santa Pal program in Temple.

Jenna Summa/Special to the Telegram

Looking like so many elves, volunteers merrily passed out bags of toys Saturday for the Kiwanis

Club Santa Pal program at 204 N. Main St.

Barbara Burtchell, chairman of Santa Pal — wearing red reindeer antlers — said she had gifts for 134

families, with about 250 children, to be given out from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. This year the program

allotted $30 per child.

“It seems to go well,” she said. “If we get toys donated, then it adds to it and stretches it. I’ve had

some wonderful volunteers.”

Panel Specialists Inc. was among them, she said.

“They brought us bicycles, and tons of toys they collected at their plant. Then they shopped for

these kids. They go above and beyond,” Burtchell said.

Ralph Wilson Youth Club also helped, she said. “Their volunteers shopped for about 50 of our

families. They just love doing it.”

“We have a lot of hearts that want to give,” she said.

She also lauded Materials Transportation Co. and Ludwick, Templin, Montgomery & Stapp for their

support, plus all of the individuals making donations

“I truly enjoy it, and I like seeing the families’ faces when they come,” Burtchell said.

Ethel Flowers, treasurer for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, was one of the helpers.

“We get a kick out of it,” she said. “It warms your heart.”

Lamar Lewis, Kiwanis president, and Roy Meyer, treasurer, also helped out.

“This is the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of folks — when the kiddos get the goodies,” Lewis

said. “The people in this community are so compassionate, and want to help.”

Before the doors opened, helpers checked lists of children’s names, sorted gifts and put them in

rows of black bags. A lot of the bags had bicycles beside them.

“This is what’s exciting,” Burtchell said, stopping at one of the bags. “They have three bikes, and they

still have a bag of toys.”

Larry Causey

“And this family is another one,” she said. “Six kids and a 14-year-old. They’ve got two bikes and a

whole bag of stuff.”

Santa Pal only goes up to 12-year-olds, she said, but the shoppers have the option of personally

buying a gift for an older child.

The idea of the black bags is so the children don’t see their presents, she said. “I want them to think

Santa Claus has brought it.”

“The moms can look through it, and it’s up to them if they want to keep it,” she said. “If not, they can

take it to Walmart.”

Some families bring their children along, and the helpers give the parents a heads up when there are

bikes, in case they don’t want the children to see them.

She had a handful of qualifying letters that had been returned to Kiwanis. If unable to contact the

family by telephone, Kiwanis will leave their presents with the Help Center, she said.

Santa Pal is already receiving donations for 2018, she said. “Yesterday we got almost $4,000. That’s

excellent seed money for next year.”

lcausey@tdtnews.com